Amazingly, those first two days were absolutely beautiful.  It was sunny and hot, and perfect for exploring new places.  This was not the case on Thursday.  We woke up to pouring rain and a chilling wind.  Fortunately, a bunch of SAS kids had booked a tour of Harry Potter Studios that day, so no amount of terrible weather could dampen my day.  We spent the morning hanging around the hostel getting to know each other before heading out to the studios.  It was magical in every sense of the word.  Not only did it appeal to the part of my that will always believe that my letter to Hogwarts just got lost in the mail, but also to the part that is completely fascinated with everything that goes into creating such an amazing film.  Every prop and set in the studio were the authentic ones used in the filming of the 8 movies in the franchise.  Beside every thing was a board that talked about what it was and how it was used, and what the importance of it all was.  We spent THREE hours walking around, and I felt like I could have done so much more.  Not only did they have props and costumes, but they had original sketches for various scenes, creatures, and special effects.  You could see the mechanics behind certain things like the book Hagrid assigns for the students in Care of Magical Creatures (the one that attacks Harry when he opens it).  It was incredible.

We finished off the day with a trip to the London eye, just before it closed.  We had been told that it is amazing during both the day and night, but the night gives you a view of London lit up that nothing can beat.  We were so happy we decided to go at night because the view from the top truly took my breath away.  You could see everything in London, and it was amazing.

Friday was sadly our last day in the city.  Though I had already done and seen so much, there was still so much more I had left to do.  I had an entire plan for the day, and was determined to accomplish everything.  The plan was destined for failure from the beginning though.  We left almost an hour and a half after I was hoping to get going.  That wasn't the biggest deal, though.  We still went to an incredible breakfast and walked around Borough Market trying all sorts of cheese and olive oils.  Our next stop was the Globe Theater, Millennium Bridge (the one Death Eaters destroy in the HP movies), and St. Paul's Cathedral (where we saw a group of older women who called themselves the Red Hat Society and wear fancy red hats whenever they gather).  We then headed off towards our next destination, the amazing Abbey Road.

I had found the Abbey Road stop on the Underground map and had plotted out our travel to Northeast London.  We were set to go and had no problems getting there, despite how long it took us.  As we exited the train, however, we saw a sign that read "Day tripper looking for the Beatles pedestrian crossing?  Unfortunately you're at the wrong Abbey Road."  I was devastated and so incredibly mad.  The destination we were actually looking for was at the complete opposite side of town in Northwest London.  All the time we took to get there was wasted, and we were about to use up so much more getting back.  Before heading to the real Abbey Road, however, we made a stop at Camden Markets.  Everyone we had talked to had told us that it was absolutely incredible and that it was a must-see.  They were right!  Anything you could ever want, you could find there.  Amazing food, clothes, jewelry, souvenirs, etc!  We wandered around there for a few hours, did some shopping, and bought a yummy smoothie.

Finally, we were on our way to Abbey Road.  I was so excited I couldn't control myself (surprise, huh?).  It was SO COOL.  Yeah, it's just a walkway on a street, but THE BEATLES WALKED HERE SO I DON'T CARE.  After a few failed attempts at getting the iconic picture, we saw an Italian couple who went all out to get what they wanted.  The woman taking the picture stepped out right into the middle of the street and blocked traffic while the man walked (BAREFOOT, just like Paul) across the street.  It was awesome.  So, I approached them and asked them (in Italian) if they could do the same for us, and they were so excited to hear me speaking Italian that they said yes!  (I seriously have used Italian almost as much as English on this trip, it's amazing)  We crossed the street and the man took the picture, blocking all traffic until he got a shot he was satisfied with...in typical Italian fashion.

Unfortunately, it had gotten so late that we weren't able to do any of the other things I was planning on doing.  Instead, we headed to dinner and then back to the hostel to get our things.  On the way back, we got off the Tube a stop early and walked across London Bridge to see the beautiful Tower Bridge all lit up.  It was breathtaking.  Back at the hostel, my friends picked up their stuff, and I packed my things and checked out early.  One of my friends graciously offered to let me stay in the Hilton room for free since I had to be there so early the next morning, so I jumped on the opportunity.  Fortunately, Dani and I had checked in our luggage, but our friends Emily and Stephen had brought it all with them.  I have never struggled so much in my entire life.  Getting their things all the way to the hotel (attached to the airport) via Tube was near impossible and would never have happened had Dani and I brought all our things with them.  We finally made it, though, and with a nice nightcap in the hotel room, our amazing time in London came to and end.

It was certainly a couple weeks of nonstop, hectic running around, but I couldn't have imagined having a better time in London.  All the stress was completely worth it.  The best part?  London isn't even one of the official ports for SAS.  If my time there was that amazing, I am so excited to see how the rest of this trip blows me away.

Baci e abbracci! xoxo

Wednesday was one of the days in London I was most looking forward to, and it lived up to everything I was hoping it to be.  I got a really rough start, unfortunately, but it all worked out perfectly fine!  I was planning on going on a tour to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge for the day, and was supposed to meet the group at 8:35.  I set my alarm for 7 to give me enough time to shower, eat breakfast and get there, but I was still so jet lagged that I immediately fell back to sleep.  Fortunately, I woke up in a panic around 8 and realized I needed to get going...fast.  Needless to say, I didn't get there for 8:35.  The girl at the front desk of the hostel told me to go to the wrong place on the Tube.  After making this realization, I went from person to person asking for directions, and they all told me different things.  By the time I finally figured out where to go, it was 9:05 and I was sure the bus had already left.  I still went in hoping to plead with them for either a refund or a spot on the next day's bus, but, miraculously, the buses were running late and there was one seat left on the bus that was pulling out as I walked in.  I got on the bus and started crying from stress and relief.  I couldn't believe how lucky I was!  I quickly fell asleep (something I would do between every stop on the tour), until we got to our first destination: Windsor Castle.

Honestly, I wasn't very impressed with London to that point.  With the exception of the big monuments throughout the city, I got a big NYC feeling from it.  It was much more modern than any of the other cities I've traveled to, and I was a little disappointed by that.  Windsor Castle completely changed that outlook, however.  THIS was the London I was looking for.  The old buildings surrounding the castle and the castle itself gave you the feeling of stepping back in time.  It was all so beautiful, and I was so excited to be walking the same halls that centuries of monarchs had done previously.  There were incredible artifacts gifted to the royal family, portraits and paintings done by DaVinci, Rembrandt, and Van Dyke, as well as artwork done by members of the royal family themselves.  We saw Mary's Dollhouse, which included real silver in the dining room, mini crown jewels and original artwork and literature.  We meandered around the state rooms where the Queen entertains guests and the private gardens where the Queen takes her daily walks.  Finally, we were able to see St. George's Chapel.  I knelt in front of the altar and it was a such a strange feeling knowing I was in the same place where so many royals had been married in years past.

Our next stop was Bath, which quickly became my favorite part of England.  The city style is Georgian, which is essentially a mix of classic British style blended with ancient Roman and Greek styles (I bet you can now guess why I loved it so much!).  The town was so unique and quaint and I really wish I had more time to explore, but I still had an absolutely amazing time here.  Before we got off the bus, the tour guide told us that more than likely we wouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes walking through the baths.  There were so many incredible artifacts and ruins to see and learn about there, though, that I have no idea how someone could just walk in and walk out.  I spent over an hour wandering through it and still felt rushed!!  It was one of the coolest museums I have ever seen.  It was built around the ruins, and everything was laid out as they would have been if the ruins were still standing.  The baths themselves were the coolest things.  They're in the open air, yet you can still feel the heat coming from the water.  In the religious bath, you can even see the water bubbling from the steam coming from below!  I put my hand in and it made me wish more than anything that I could just jump right in and sink into the water.  Next time, I'll have to make sure to book a spa session!  Towards the exit, there was also a fountain where you could have a glass of water from the springs.  It was warm and tasted very "mineraly", but it was really neat to be able to drink it (it has a lot of nutrients!)

After leaving the baths, the first thing I saw was Bath Abbey, with it's spires towering above the surrounding buildings.  In front, there was a musician singing "Moon River" and playing the sax.  It was truly beautiful moment.  Soaking up the smooth music and the surroundings made for a mystical atmosphere.  Despite the rush of people surrounding me, I truly felt at peace wandering through the crowd.  I slowly made my way past the Abbey, and still had a few minutes to spare.  There was a gelateria we passed on the way to the baths called Real Italian Ice Cream shop where I got my classic coconut and hazelnut & cocoa combo.  I ate it on my way to see the Putney Bridge which is modeled after my favorite of bridges, the Ponte Vecchio.  It was like a mini tribute to Italy!  I had just enough time to snap a few pictures and finish my gelato before heading back to the bus to go to our next and final stop: Stonehenge.

At first, I was very underwhelmed with Stonehenge as we approached the site.  I was expecting this gigantic monument on a high hill, which is not what it is at all.  I was very disappointed.  As soon as we made our way through the entrance, however, my feelings completely changed.  When you're standing face to face with one of history's greatest mysteries, you can't help but soak in and stand in awe of it's splendor.  The way the stones are lined up and placed in the ground to complement the changing of the seasons is absolutely baffling.  Looking on at this incredible site, and seeing nothing in the distance but farms and field animals gives you the most incredible feeling of serenity.

We got back from the tour pretty late, but I was still able to shower, get some food and find my friends to go out.  All the napping on the bus gave me the energy I needed for a fun night in London!  Dani, another friend Jillian, the guy from Cali and the girl from South Korea and I all went out together.  I had an unbelievable time with the best of people and could not have asked for a more amazing time.

These past two weeks have been unbelievable!! I got home from the
Vineyard Tuesday night and starting immediately on Wednesday morning, I
was up and running from 8 until 10 every single day trying to get
visits, appointments and errands done in time to leave on Monday. I've
never run around so much in my entire life!! I really wish I could have
gone home a little earlier because I did need the extra couple of days.
I got everything done, however, even if it was a little off schedule. I
actually did pretty well with limiting myself to what I was going to
bring. Even though I still had to bring two bags, everything I packed
were things I knew I was going to need to get through the next four
months and the various climates in the fourteen countries.

Monday was incredibly hectic with final appointments, errands and
repacking to do. We finally got everything done, however, stopped by
Dad's work to say goodbye and headed up to the North End of Boston to
spend the afternoon before my flight. I was able to see Sam before her
work meeting and Mom, Kailin and I got lunch and gelato. I even had the
opportunity to speak Italian in the pastry shop we went to! It was the
first time in what would be a week of speaking almost as much Italian as
English...examples of THAT later!

Soon came the time to get to the airport and begin my big adventure. I
couldn't believe that it was finally time, and was in tears as the
airplane took off from the tarmac. I sat next to a WONDERFUL South
African gentleman who I was able to share travel stories with for the
first portion of the flight. After dinner and a glass of wine, I fell
right asleep. Given the lack of sleep I had in the past couple weeks, I
slept very well.

A few quick hours later, it was time to begin the descent down to
London! We were there! After all the usual arrival, security, and
immigration practices, I met up with some SAS kids who got in around the
same time. We checked our extra luggage into storage and headed to the
Tube to get into London! It was incredibly easy to navigate our way to
the hostel we stayed at, which was amazing. We checked in, sent our "We
got here!" e-mails to friends and families and pushed through our
increasing feeling of jet lag to start our 2 1/2 hour walking tour of
the city. We did the tour through the same company I used during all of
my Spring Break travels last spring, NewEurope. It was incredible. We
hit almost all of the major spots and learned so much about the history
of England the city of London. Like the other tours, we headed to a
nearby pub for some local food. I was fortunately able to find
something I could eat...I got sausage and mash without the gravy so I
could experience English dishes. It was good! It wasn't Italian, but I
still enjoyed it! It was just me, Dani and Sam (the girls I traveled to
the hostel with), along with the tour guide and one other traveler. We
all shared travel stories, and it was fascinating hearing what everyone
had to say.

After the tour, we headed back to the hostel and spent the day getting
to know some SAS kids who had arrived and some of the other people we
met in the hostel. The sense of community that comes with staying in
hostels is the reason I love doing it so much (along with the cheap
prices, lets be honest). The people I've met in this world from hostel
common rooms alone are some of the most intriguing I've ever met. They
all have incredible stories and are from all corners of the globe.
There were a few people we really connected with, including a guy from
Cali, a girl from South Korea and another guy from Australia (there are
a TON of them around!). After a much needed nap, we all hung out
together on the rooftop terrace. It had a great view and was a great
place to relax and talk over a drink. I even met an Italian! He only
spoke very broken English, so I was the only one he could really talk
to. It was amazing having a full conversation in Italian with someone
my own age!

My time in London got off to a really great start, and I was so excited
to see what the following three days had in store for me!

That is all.  I can't believe I'll be setting sail so soon, and leaving for London even sooner!!

Super quick update: I just found out that my friend Jess from Syracuse is going to be in London at the same time as me!  As if I couldn't be more excited to be there...

Also, everything is finished!  Visas have been returned, loan is secured, and all major necessary purchases (backpack/bladder, hiking boots, extra camera batteries, and USB sticks for pictures) have been made.  All that remains is one more day of work, two days of nannying, a ferry ride back to the mainland then a super relaxing week of running around doing errands and packing with my family!!

I'm going to be boarding that plane before I know it....